Ornamental cam selecting device for zig zag sewing machine

ABSTRACT

A cam selecting device comprising a plurality of ornament cams packed in a row, a cam follower provided opposite to the ornament cams and shiftable along the cams, a selecting cam for shifting the cam follower along the ornament cams, and a rack mechanism for releasably securing the cam follower in any predetermined positions along the ornament cams so that precise cam selecting relation of the constituent parts may be established to obtain correct ornamental zigzag stitches.

United States Patent Kasuga [451 Sept. 26, 1972 ORNAMENTAL CAM SELECTINGDEVICE FOR ZIG ZAG SEWING MACHINE [72] Inventor: Noboru Kasuga,Kamiichibun-Kata- Machi, Japan [73] Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co.,Ltd.

[22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.:' 100,675

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 26, 1970 Japan ..44/123000Dec. 26, 1970 Japan "44/123001 [52] U.S.Cl. ..1l2/158A [51] Int. Cl...D05b 3/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..1l2/15,8 R, 158 A, 158D [5 6]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,064,602 11/1962 Danno 142 1 53,435,788 4/1969 Fresgard etal. ..ll2/l58A Primary Examiner-Patrick D.Lawson Attorney-Michael S. Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT A cam selecting devicecomprising a plurality of ornament cams packed in a row, a cam followerprovided opposite to the ornament cams and shiftable along the cams, aselecting cam for shifting the cam follower.

along the ornament cams, and a rack mechanism for releasably securingthe cam follower in any predetermined positions along the ornament camsso that precise cam selecting relation of the constituent parts may beestablished to obtain correct ornamental zigzag stitches.

11 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEPZB m2 sum u or g 'mvsmgpa #060AM 0514 ORNAMENTAL CAM SELECTING DEVICE FOR ZIG ZAG SEWING MACHINEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to general zigzagsewing machines, and more particularly to an ornament cam selectingdevice for a zigzag sewing machine, in which a cam follower connected tothe stitching mechanism of sewing machine is operated by means of aselecting cam to establish a given relation with respect to a series ofornament cams respectively defining ornamental zigzag stitches, and sucha relation is maintained and varied by means of the same selecting cam.

In a zigzag sewing machine, it is natural that omament cams are used todetermine the respective ornamental zigzag stitches and a single camfollower or cam followers may be used for operation in engagement withthe respective ornament cams. In such a sewing machine, since thenumbers and kinds of ornamental stitches are determined by thoseornamental cams to be mounted in the sewing machine, it will be quitenatural that provision of as many ornament cams as possible may bedesires. However the machine am is not so spacious as to accommodate somany numbers of ornament cams unless the ornament cams are each madethinner as much as possible. If the ornament cams are made thinner, thecam follower or cam followers will have to be accordingly made thinnerbecause a cam follower which is thicker than the ornament cams or whichis in an inexact position with respect to the selected cam will engagemore than the selected cam, and accordingly the ornamental stitches tobe obtained will be different and diverged from the predetermined ones.However, reduction in the thickness of the ornament cams and camfollower must be limited. On the other hand, if the ornament camselecting device is made up more precise it will be natural that thecost will be higher. Especially if the cam follower is made up thinnerbelow a certain limitation, wear at the cam follower will greatlyincrease and, in effect, endurance will be lowered due to its relativeengagement with the ornament cams. Moreover the cam follower may bebroked or bent during its operation.

The fundamental object of the present invention is to eliminate theabovementioned disadvantages. Namely the object of the invention is toprovide an ornament cam selecting device in which a cam follower willselect any desired ornament cams by means of a selecting device withoutany higher precision. According to the present invention the camfollower is operated in the successive steps to be positioned forengaging a selected ornament cam. In the first step the cam follower issubjected to substantially rough displacement and in the second step itis subjected to precise positioning. Accordingly the selecting cam foroperating to displace the cam follower will not be required to have ahigh precision in its peripheral configuration, and a cam of lowerprecision will enough to operate the cam follower without anyinconveniences. As for operating to precisely position the cam followerin the second step, a rack plate is used. The rack plate with its Vshaped teeth will correctly secure the cam follower in a selectedposition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ornament camselecting device which may be easily manufactured. As aforementioned,the selecting cam,

which required little precision for displacing the cam follower, will beeasily manufactured. Such a selecting cam may be pressed out of a metalplate or other material with a little machining added. The rack platefor finally securing the cam follower in a predetermined position issubstantially rectangular in form with V shaped teeth formed thereinwill also be easily manufactured, for example, in the same manner as theselecting cam may be. It is apparent that the rack plate, with its Vshaped teeth, will accurately secure the ,cam follower in apredetermined positionrwith the selecting cam and rack plate beingemployed as such, the cam selecting device of the present invention willbe very easily manufactured. Moreover the cam selecting device requireslittle precision machining, it will be manufactured at the lowest cost.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a camselecting device which is much durable almost permanently. Generallywith respect to such a kind of device, wear is inevitable on therelative engaging parts. It is apparent that precisely finished cam willgenerally be unable to maintain the precision for a long time. The factthat the selecting cam according to the present invention requireslittle precision shows at the same time that even if the cam has beenconsiderably weared, is still operable and may be used almostpermanently as a member for displacing the cam follower. On the otherhand, since the rack plate of the invention operates merely to positionthe cam follower by means of the V shaped teeth, the teeth will havelittle wear and the durability will be almost permanent. Accordingly,the cam selecting device of the present invention will be durable for along time, almost permanently.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be clearlyunderstood from the following description in reference to the attacheddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1. is a front elevational view of the cam selecting device for azigzag sewing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2. is a side elevational view of the cam selecting device partlysectioned and viewed from numeral II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical elevational section of the cam selecting device inFIG. 1. and taken along line III-III in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4. is a horizontal elevational view of the cam selecting devicetaken along line IV--lV in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5. is a vertical elevational section of the cam selecting device inFIG. 1 partly eliminated and taken along the plane defining the sidesurface of the cam follower disengaging carn in the present invention.

FIG. 6. is a vertical elevational section of the cam selecting device inFIG. 1 partly eliminated and taken along the plane defining the sidesurface of the cam follower displacing cam in the present invention.

FIG. 7. is an exploded perspective view of the cam selecting deviceaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 8. is anotherembodiment of the present invention partly eliminatedand corresponding to the embodiment in FIG. 2. I

FIG. 9. is another embodiment of cam follower according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 10. is still another embodiment of the present inventioncorresponding to the embodiment in FIG. 3.

FIG. 1 1. is a horizontal elevational section of another embodiment ofthe present invention corresponding to the embodiment in FIG. 4.

Detail explanation of the invention:

In reference to FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, numeral 1 represents aU-shaped basemember which is fixedly mounted at a set position in the sewing machinearm 80 by means of a fastening screw 79. The U shaped base member 1 isformed with a mount seat 1a depending from the lower wall at the forwardend thereof. The U shaped base member 1 isalso formed with a gear seat50, which may be fixedly mounted by means of fastening screws 60 60 inthe inner part of the lower wall of the base member 1 at the bottom sidethereof. The gear seat 50 is, as shown in the drawings, depending fromthe bottom side of the lower wall of the U-shaped member 1 andhorizontally and externally bent at its intermediate portion to secure avertical gear shaft 2 on the horizontal portion thereof.

On the gear shaft 2 an elastic seat washer 47 is mounted and then a gearmemberis rotatably mounted. The gearmember is composed of gears 4 5which are integrally and coaxially made up and held on the gear shaft 2by means of a fastening screw 61 threaded into the gear shaft 2 at thetop thereof. The gears 4 and 5 are respectively adapted to engage a worm59 on the drive shaft of the sewing machine and an ornament cam drivinggear 6. Thus the rotationof the driving shaft of the sewing machine istransmitted to the cam driving gear 6 through the gears 4 and 5 in areduced speed.

In the U-shaped base member 1 there is provided a vertical cam shaft 3spaced from and in parallel with the gear shaft 2. On the cam shaft 3the cam driving gear 6 and a plurality of ornamentcams 7 are rotatablymounted in a packed state with the cam driving gear 6 being at thebottom thereof. As is well known, the cam driving gear 6 and theornament cams 7 are united by means of a vertical pin 6a provided on thecam driving gear 6 and extending through the ornament cams 7 in parallelwith the cam shaft 3 so that the cam driving gear 6 and the ornamentcams 7 may be rotated in unison. On the top of the ornament cams 7 onthe cam shaft 3, a compression spring 68 is placed and then a holdingdisc plate69 is positioned, and finally an elastic ring 70 is fitted ina groove 3a around the cam shaft 3 at the upper part thereof torotationally hold the ornament cams 7 and the cam driving gear 6 on thecam shaft 3. Accordingly any or all ornament cams 7 on the cam shaft 3may be exchanged at will by removing the elastic ring 70 from the camshaft 3.

In the U-shaped base member 1, a vertical support shaft 8 is secured atthe upper and lower ends thereof by means of fastening screws 62 62spaced from and in parallel with the cam shaft 3. On the support shaft8, a U-shaped swing frame 9 is swingably mounted together with a washer81 which is placed between the lower wall of the swing frame 9 and thelower wall of the U- shaped base member 1. On the support shaft 8 a camfollower 10 is at its intermediate portion pivotally mounted togetherwith a compression spring 38 between the opposite walls of the U-shapedswing.

frame 9 with the compression spring 38 being placed between the camfollower 10 and the lower wall of the U-shaped swing frame 9.

The cam follower 10 is also slidable axially along the support shaft 8.The cam'follower 10 is at one end formed with a cam'engaging portion 1 1and at the other end formed with a recessed portion 41. In the U-shapedswing frame 9, a vertical guide shaft 13 is secured spaced from and inparallel with the support shaft 8 by means of upper and lower.fasteningscrews 63 63. The guide shaft 13 is engaged by the recessed end41 of the cam follower 10 to positively guide the cam follower when itaxially slides on the support shaft 8. At the same time the guide shaft13 is adapted to transmit the swinging movement of the cam follower 10to the U- shaped swing frame 9 in accordance with the peripheralconfiguration of any selected one of the ornament cams 7 which isengaged by the cam engaging end 1 1 of the cam follower 10.

On the side wall of the U shaped swing frame 9, L-

shaped plate 75 and plate 76 are secured in a superposed state bymeansof fastening screws 64 64. The L- shaped plate 75'has a dependingcam engaging end 45 which .is adapted to engage a cam 14 as will bedescribed hereinafter. The plate v76 has a vertical engaging edge 42which is adapted to engage a roller 44 on a U-shaped swing body '12 aswill be described hereinafter.

On the aforementioned depending mount seat la a pin 16 is mountedhorizontally extending therefrom. On the pin '16 a bloc 15 is turnablymounted at the lower end thereof for changing a needle position. Thebloc 15 is formed with a bore 15a spaced from the lower base portionthereof. a

The U-shaped swing body 12 is fitted over the bloc 15 and is swingablysecured thereon by'means of a pivot pin 17 extending through theopposite walls of the U-shaped swing body 12 and also through the bore15a of the bloc 15. The pivot pin 17 is fastened there and preventedfrom the axial movement by means of a fastening screw threaded into thebloc 15 at one side thereof. On the upper part of the bloc 15 a screw 55having an engaging end 55a is threaded into from the opposite sidethereof and is fastened there by means of a fastening screw 56 threadedinto the bloc 15 at the top thereof. 7

In the U-shaped base member 1 a U-shaped support frame 48 is secured onthe upper wall thereof spaced from the U-shaped swing frame 9 by meansof fastening screws 66 66. On the opposite walls depending from theU-shaped support frame 48 a transverse shaft 26 is supported across themachine arm 80. A coil spring 57 is at one end hung to the neck of thefastening screw 56 on the top of the bloc l5 and the other end anchoredto the transverse shaft 26 to urge the bloc 15 in the clockwisedirection around the pin 16 so that the screw 55 having the engaging end55a will always engage a needle position changing cam not shown with theengaging end thereof.

The U-shaped swing body 12 is formed with an extension on the front wallthereof, in which a vertical arcuate slot 18 is provided. As is wellknown, a pin 20 mounted on one end of a transmission rod 19 is engagedin the arcuate slot 18. The other end of the'transmission rod 19 isconnected to the needle bar support not shown so that the swingingmovement of the U- shaped swing body may be transmitted to the needlebar support.

On the upper part of the U-shaped swing body 12, a pin 43 is extendedthrough the opposite side walls thereof to mount a roller 44 on the endprotruded on the inner side wall of the U-shaped swing body 12. Theroller 44 is heldthere and prevented from axial movement by means of adetaining washer 73 fitted to the groove provided around the protrudedend of the pin 43. The pin 43 is prevented from axial movement by meansof a fastening screw threaded into the top wall of the U-shaped swingbody 12 and fastening the pin at as set position.

A coil spring 58 is at one end hung to a hole 12a provided in the upperpart on the front wall of the U- shaped swing body 12 and at the otherend anchored to the transverse shaft 26 to urge the U-shaped swing body12 in the clockwise direction around the pivot pin 17 so that the roller44 may contact the vertical engaging edge 42 of the plate 76 attached tothe side wall of the U-shaped swing body 12 together with the L- shapedplate 75. The transverse shaft 26 is secured on the U-shaped supportframe 48 by means of a fastening screw 67 threaded into the supportframe 48 at the top thereof and engaging the recessed portion 26a of thetransverse shaft 26 to fasten the same at a set position on the U-shapedsupport frame 48.

A torsion spring 51 is provided around the threaded stem portion of thefastening screw 67 protruded below the top wall of the U-shaped supportframe 48. The torsion spring 51 at one end engages the vertical guideshaft 13 and at the other end engages the inner face of the front wallof the U-shaped support frame 48 to turn the U-shaped swing frame 9 inthe clockwise direction around the vertical support shaft 8. However itis to be noted that the aforementioned coil spring is of force strongerthan the torsion spring 51 and accordingly the U-shaped swing frame 9 isactually turned in the counterclockwise direction, so that the camfollower 10 may with its engaging end 11 engage, any selected one of theornament cams 7.

On the transverse shaft 26, arm 28 and arm 39 are at their intermediateportions turnably mounted in an adjacent relation, and are connectedtogether by means of a screw 78 which is inserted into a verticalelongated slot 28a at one end of the arm 28 and threaded into a threadedhole at one end of the arm 39, so that the relative angular positions ofthe two arms may be adjusted when necessary. The arm 39 is formed with aboss 39a at the intermediate portion thereof. Around the base 39a ismounted a torsion spring 27 which is of force stronger than thecompression spring 38 acting on the cam follower 10. The torsion spring27 with one end engages the opposite end of the arm 39 and with theother end is anchored to the inner face of the upper wall of theU-shaped support frame 48 to turn the arms 28 39 in the counterclockwisedirection around the transverse shaft 26.

The arms 28 39 are turnably held on the transverse shaft 26 by means ofa pair of holding washers 71 71 attached on the transverse shaft 26 onboth sides of the arms 28 39 with a washer 100 of greater diameter beingplaced between the spring 27 and one of the holding washers 71 71. Thearm 28 with the engaging end 28b is adapted to engage a cam as will bedescribed hereinafter for displacing the cam follower 10. The arm 39 isprovided at its operating end with pins 40 40a, and

is with the pin 40 adapted to engage a rack plate 35 as will bedescribed hereinafter, and with the pin 40a adapted to press the centralportion of the cam follower 10 with a force stronger than thecompression spring 38 due to the torsion spring 27 acting on the arms 2839.

The rack plate 35 is substantially L-shaped in cross section as shownin'FIGS. 4 and 7. The rack plate 35 is provided with V-shaped rack teethat the vertical edge 35a of one wall and also provided with a transverseengaging projection 36 at the lower part of the other wall, and thensecured on the vertical side wall of U-shaped support frame 49. TheU-shaped support frame 49 is swingably supported on a vertical shaft 34which is fixedly mounted in the U-shaped base member 1 spaced from andin parallel with the vertical support shaft 8 by means of an upperfastening screw 99. The lower portion of the vertical shaft 34downwardly extending out from the lower wall of the U-shaped base member1 is fitted into a receiving bore formed in the boss of the machine arm80 and fixed there by means of worm screw 340 as particularly shown inFIG. 2. A washer 82 is placed on the vertical shaft 34 between the lowerwall of the U-shaped support frame 49 and the lower wall of the U-shapedbase member 1. A washer 54 is placed on the vertical shaft 34 just onthe under side of the lower wall of the U-shaped base member 1.

Side by side with the fastening screw 99, a thrust adjusting screw 53 isthreaded into the U-shaped base member 1 at the top wall thereof, thelower end of the thrust adjusting screw 53 is adapted to engage theupper wall surface of the U-shaped support frame 49. The thrustadjusting screw 53 is adjusted by means of a nut 530 with respect to theupper wall of the U-shaped base member 1 to have a given axial setposition for adjusting the axial position of the U-shaped support frame49 and accordingly the rack plate 35 attached thereto.

In the manner of the lower wall of the U-shaped support frame 49, thereis provided a hole 49a, and on the edge of the vertical wall of theU-shaped base member 1 there is provided a recess 1d. A coil spring 37is, at one end hung to the recess 1d and at the other end anchored tothe hole 49a so that the U-shaped support frame 49 maybe turned in theclockwise direction. Thus any one of the V-shaped teeth 35a of the rackplate 35 provided on the vertical edge of one wall thereof will contactand maintain the pin 40 on the arm 39 accurately in the predeterminedposition.

On the upper wall of the U-shaped base member 1, there is provided athrust adjusting screw 52 just in the same manner as the thrustadjusting screw 53. The lower end of the thrust adjusting screw 52 isadapted to engage the upper wall of the U-shaped swing frame 9. Byadjusting the axial position of the screw 52 with respect to the upperwall of the U-shaped base member 1 by means of a fastening nut 52a, theaxial position of the U-shaped swing frame 9 on the support shaft 8 mayA cam shaft 22 is rotatably mounted transversely in the machine arm 80between the U-shaped swing frame 9 and the transverse shaft 26 inparallel with the transverse shaft 26. A dial 210 is fixed on one endportion of the cam shaft extended out of the. machine arm 80 on thefrontside thereof. On the cam shaft 22 there are coaxially secured arack plate displacing cam 25 as shown in FIG. 4, a cam followerdisplacing cam 25 -as shown in. FIGS. 4 and 6, and a cam followerdisengagingcam 14 as shown in FIG. 5.

The'rack plate displacing cam 25 has a central boss .74 and peripheralrecesses and projections formed on the cam 25 and accordingly the camshaft 22. from rotating from a set position. 7 v The cam followerdisplacing cam 25 has a peripheral cam face'which is to be engaged bythe cam engaging end 28b .of the arm 28. The cam follower disengaging,

cam 14 has a peripheral camface-which is to be en- I gaged by thedepending cam engaging free end 45 of the L-shaped arm 75.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7,, a feed adjusting cam 24 issecured on thecam shaft 22 at the inner end thereof between the rack plate displacingcam and side wall through a roller 86 and a washer 87. The other end ofthe lever 32 is bent to provide a horizontal seat 89 which isconnectedto a connection rod connected to the feed regulator not shown by meansof a threaded rod 31 with a compression spring 91, a ball headed nut 90and a washer 92 being inserted therebetween. A considerably elongatedvertical slot 29 is provided in the side wall of the U-shaped basemember 1 for inspecting the engaging relation between the cam engagingend 11 of the cam follower 10 and the ornament cams 7.

Operation of the invention:

When the drive shaft of sewing machine is driven, the ornament cams 7will be rotated in a reduced speed around the cam shaft 3 through thegearing 59, 4,5, 6. As the ornament cams 7 are rotated, the cam follower10, with its engaging end 1 l engaging any selected one of the ornamentcams 7, will swing around the vertical support shaft 8. The swingingmovement of the cam follower 10 will swing the U-shaped swing frame 9due to the engagement between the opposite recessed end 41 of the camfollower and the vertical guide shaft 13on the U-shaped swing frame 9.The swinging movement of the U-shaped swing frame 9 is transmitted tothe U- shaped swing body 12 due to the engagement between the roller 40on the U-shaped swing body 12 and the vertical engaging edge 42 of theplate 76 attached to the U-shaped swing frame 9 together with the L'shaped plate 75. The swinging movement of the U-shaped swing body 12around the pivot pin 17 is in turn transmitted through the. transmissionrod 19 to the needle bar support not shown to swing the needle bartransversely across the feeding direction of the feed device not shownThe swinging amplitude may be varied as well known by means of theamplitude regulating device not shown handling of which will shift thepin 20 shown in FIG. 1 attached to one end of the transmission rod 19along the vertical arcuate slot 18 of the U-shaped swing body 12 inwhich the pin is engaged. The pin 20 may be shifted'toward and away fromthe pivot pin 17 to vary the swinging amplitude of the needle bar.

The needle position may be varied as well known by means of a needleposition regulating device not shown handling of which will vary theangular positions of the bloc 15 around the horizontal pivot pin 16 withthe aforementioned transverse screw 55 being at its engaging end 55aengaged with the'needle position changing cam not shown).

When the specific one of ornamental cams'is to be selected, the dial 21ais rotated. With rotation of the dial 21a, the cam 14 displaces theL-shaped plate 75 to turn the U-shaped swing frame 9 around the verticalshaft 8 against the coil spring 58 in the clockwise direction.Accordingly the cam follower 10 is turned in the same direction togetherwith the U-shaped frame 9 and the cam'engaging end 11 of the camfollower 10 is disengaged from the ornament cam with which it has beenin engagement. FIG. 5

At the same time, the rack plate displacing cam 25, with one of itsprojections, turns the rack plate around the vertical shaft 34 againstthe coil spring 37 in the counterclockwise direction to disengage the V-shaped tooth of the rack plate 35 from the pin 40 at the end of the arm39, (FIG. 4). Subsequently the cam follower displacing cam 23 turns theengaging arm 28 7 around the transverse shaft 26 against the spring 27inthe clockwise direction. Thus the arm 39 is together with the arm 28turned in the same direction, and substantially up and down movement ofthe pin 40 along the vertical rach teeth 35a is obtained depending uponthe peripheral configuration of the cam 23.

With the subsequent engagement of the aforementioned transverse engagingprojection 36 of the rack plate 35 with one of therecesses of the cam25, the rack plate 35 returns to engage the pin 40 through the force ofthe coil spring 37, and then the pin 40 is fitted into one of thevertical V-shaped rach teeth 35a at its V-shaped opposite slopes thereofand finally the position of the pin 40 is accurately determined at thebottom part of the V-shaped slopes of the rack tooth 35a.

When the pin 40 on the arm 39 is to be displaced in f the upwarddirection along the vertical rack teeth 35a, the cam follower 10 isdisplaced upwardly on the vertical support shaft 8 by means of theupward force of the compression spring 38 coaxially mounted on the shaft8 between the underside of the cam follower 10 and the lower wall of theU-shaped swing frame 9, and then the position of the cam follower 10with respect to any one of the ornament cams 7 is determined by theposition of the pin 40.

When the pin 40 on the arm 39 is displaced in the downward directionalong the vertical rack teeth 35a depending upon the peripheralconfiguration of the cam 25, the pin 40 is so displaced by means of thetorsion spring 27 which as aforementioned always applies a forcestronger than the compression spring 38 to the arm 39 on the near partof the pin 40. Accordingly the cam follower is displaced in the samedirection against the force of the compression spring 38 on the verticalshaft 8 along the ornament cams 7, since the pin 40a opposite to the pin40 on the arm 39 is contacted on the upper central portion of the camfollower 10 by means of the torsion spring 27 as aforementioned. Thusthe downward position of the cam follower 10 with respect to each of theornament cams 7 is determined by the position of the pin 40 fitted intoone of the rack teeth 35a of the rack plate 35.

Thus in the present invention, positioning of the cam follower issubstantially accomplished merely by setting the pin 40 to apredetermined position. Accordingly it is clear that the cam followerdisplacing cam will require little precision when it is produced,however,

that it will accomplish an accurate positioning of the cam followertogether with use of the rack plate which is also easy in production andprecise in holding the pin in a set position.

Further, even if the cam 23 has got wear, will give no substantialinfluence on setting the cam follower. On the other hand, the V-shapedrack teeth of the rack plate will get little wear in view of thefunction it performs heretofore described. Thus the cam selecting deviceof the present invention will be of lower cost and also of almostpermanent use. 7

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,in which a part of the cam follower displacing structure is a littledifferent from the first embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7. Namely thecam follower 10 is at its central portion formed with a pair of oppositeflanges 72 72 to provide a groove therearound between the flanges. Asshown in FIG. 8, the pin 40 which has been described in reference toFIGS. 1 to 7 is fitted into the groove between the flanges 72 72 todisplace the cam follower 10 along the vertical shaft 8 substantially inthe same manner as has been described in reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.However in this embodiment, it is apparent that the compression spring38 may be eliminated since the cam follower 10 is directly displaced bythe pin 40.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 10an 11, in which instead of the cam 14 for disengaging the cam follower10 from one of the ornament cams 7, a disk 94 is provided on thetransverse cam shaft 22. On the lower wall of the U-shaped base member 1a lever 93 is at its intermediate portion pivotally mounted on a pivotpin 96 between the U- shaped swing frame 9 and the disk 94. One arm 95of the lever 94 engages a pin depending from the lower wall of theU-shaped swing frame 9 due to the coil spring 58 and is usually turnedin the clockwise direction and the other arm 92 is contacted to one sideface of the disk 94. Further instead of the rack plate displacing cam25, a disk 98 is provided on the transverse cam shaft 22. The disk 98 iswith its one side face adapted to engage the aforementioned transverseengaging projection 36 of the rack plate 35. In this embodiment, thetransverse cam shaft 22 is rotatable and axially displacable. Acompression spring 97 is mounted around the cam shaft 22 on the endportion extended out of the front wall of the machine arm 80 between thefront wall and the dial 21a. The compression spring 97 usually urges thecam shaft 22 in the direction forwardly of wall of the machine arm 80.

\ OPERATION OF THE EMBODIMENT When the dial 21a is pushed inward in thedirection as indicated by the arrow, and then rotated, the disk 94 turnsthe lever 93 around the pin 96 against the coil spring 58 in thecounterclockwise direction thereby to turn the U-shaped swing frame 9 inthe clockwise direction, so that the engaging end 11 of the cam follower10 may be disengaged from one of the ornament cams 7. At the same time,the disk 98 pushes the transverse engaging projection 36 of the rackplate 35 to turn the rack plate 35 against the coil spring 37 in thecounterclockwise direction around the vertical support shaft 34, so thatone of the V-shaped rack teeth 35a of the rack plate 35 may bedisengaged from the pin 40 on the arm 39.

In this state, the dial 21a is rotated as abovementioned, the camfollower displacing cam 23 on the transverse cam shaft 22 will turn thearm 28 together with the connected arm 39 against the torsion spring 27in the clockwise direction, in effect to displace the pin 40 on the arm39 along the vertical V-shaped rack teeth 35a of the rack plate 35 inthe same manner as described hereinbefore in reference to the firstembodiment in FIGS. 1 l to 7. After that the dial 210 is released, therack plate 35 returns to engage the pin 40 with one of the V-shaped rackteeth 35a to accordingly position the same in a predetermined positionin the same manner as described hereinbefore.

Iclaim:

1. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machine having amachine arm, a drive shaft longitudinally journalled in said machinearm, and a needle bar support, comprising: a cam shaft, a plurality ofornament cams rotationally mounted on said cam shaft and rotated fromsaid drive shaft, a support shaft in parallel with said carn shaft, acam follower pivotally mounted on said support shaftand axiallydisplacable to selectively engage said ornament cams, a transmission rodfor transmitting the swinging movement of said cam follower to saidneedle bar support in accordance with the peripheral configuration of agiven ornament cam, means for disengaging said cam follower from any ofsaid ornament cams, a cam for axially displacing said cam follower onsaid support shaft, an actuating arm member turnably mounted in saidmachine arm and adapted to be turned off by said cam, said actuating armmember and said cam follower being connected to move in unison with eachother, a pin secured on one end of said actuating arm member, a rackplate turnably mounted in said machine arm and having V- shaped teethformed thereon for releasably holding said pin, means for turning saidrack plate, said first and second means being secured on an operatingshaft having an operating knob so that with manual operation of saidknob, said first means may disengage said cam follower from any of saidornament cams and simultaneously said second means may turn said rackplate to release said pin on said actuating arm member whereby said cammay operate said actuating arm member to turn the same for positioningsaid pin, and finally said second means may operate said rack plate tohold said pin with one of said V-shaped teeth in a predeterminedposition together with said cam follower which is displaceable in unisonwith said actuating arm member.

' 2. 'An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1, comprising; a swing frame having said supportshaft and a guide'shaft mounted thereon in parallel with each other,said cam follower being pivotally mounted on said support shaft, saidcam follower engaging any of said ornament cams with one end thereof andengaging said guide shaft with the opposite end thereof to transmit tosaid swing frame the swinging movement of said cam follower inaccordance with the peripheral configuration of a' given ornament cam, acompression spring mounted on said support shaft for elasticallydisplacing said cam follower in the axial directionof said supportshaft, said pin on said actuating arm member being in engagement withsaid cam follower, said pinbeing releasably held by one of said V-shapedteeth of said rack plate so that said cam follower may be held in apredetermined position in accordance with the positionin which said pinis held, and said cam follower being elastically displaced by saidcompression spring in the axial direction of said support shaft inaccordance with the set position of said pin. I

3.. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 wherein said cam follower is at one end formed witha cam engaging portion for engaging one of said ornament cams and at theopposite end formed with a recess for engaging said guide shaft totransmit to said swing frame the swinging movement of said cam followerin accordance with the peripheral configuration of any of said ornamentcams, said cam follower being at its central portion formed with a pairof flanges to provide a groove therebetween, wherein said pin onisaidactuating arm member being in engagement with said groove, and whereinsaid cam engaging said actuating arm member for axially displacing saidcam follower on said support shaft.

4. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 whereinia cam may be employed forsaid means fordisengaging said cam follower from any of said ornament cams.

5. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 wherein a disc may be employedfor said means fordisengaging said cam follower from any of said ornament cams.

6. An ornament cam selecting device for a zig-zag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 wherein a cam justably connected to said actuatingarm member in a may be employed for said means for turning said rackplate.

7; An ornament cam selecting'device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 wherein a disc may be employed for said means forturning said rack plate. 7 a

8. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 comprising another arm member having an engagingend and adsuperposed state, said arm member engaging said cam with saidengaging end thereof so thatthe movement of said arm member caused bysaid cam may be trans initted to said actuating arm member.

9. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigza sewing machine accordingto claim 1 wherein said rack plai is mounted on a U-shaped swingablesupport, said rac plate having atransverse engaging pro ection formedthereon for engaging said means for turning said rack plate.

10. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 said supporting shaft and said guiding shaft aremounted on a swing frame, wherein said cam follower is pivotally mountedon said support shaft .and is slidable in the axial direction on saidsupport shaft, said cam follower having'a cam' engaging portion formedat one end thereof for engaging any of said ornament cam and havingarecess formed at the other end thereof for engaging said guide shaft,said swing frame being U-shaped and having a L-shaped plate and anelongated plate attached thereto in a superposed state, said L-shapedplate having a depending engaging end for engaging swing frame, saidswing body and said rack plate being each disposed in said U-shaped basemember, said gearing means transmitting the rotation of said drive shaftto said ornament cams in a reduced speed.

1. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzag sewing machine having amachine arm, a drive shaft longitudinally journalled in said machinearm, and a needle bar support, comprising: a cam shaft, a plurality ofornament cams rotationally mounted on said cam shaft and rotated fromsaid drive shaft, a support shaft in parallel with said cam shaft, a camfollower pivotally mounted on said support shaft and axially displacableto selectively engage said ornament cams, a transmission rod fortransmitting the swinging movement of said cam follower to said needlebar support in accordance with the peripheral configuration of a givenornament cam, means for disengaging said cam follower from any of saidornament cams, a cam for axially displacing said cam follower on saidsupport shaft, an actuating arm member turnably mounted in said machinearm and adapted to be turned off by said cam, said actuating arm memberand said cam follower being connected to move in unison with each other,a pin secured on one end of said actuating arm member, a rack plateturnably mounted in said machine arm and having V-shaped teeth formedthereon for releasably holding said pin, means for turning said rackplate, said first and second means being secured on an operating shafthaving an operating knob so that with manual operation of said knob,said first means may disengage said cam follower from any of saidornament cams and simultaneously said second means may turn said rackplate to release said pin on said actuating arm member whereby said cammay operate said actuating arm member to turn the same for positioningsaid pin, and finally said second means may operate said rack plate tohold said pin with one of said V-shaped teeth in a predeterminedposition together with said cam follower which is displaceable in unisonwith said actuating arm member.
 2. An ornament cam selecting device fora zigzag sewing machine according to claim 1, comprising ; a swing framehaving said support shaft and a guide shaft mounted thereon in parallelwith each other, said cam follower being pivotally mounted on saidsupport shaft, said cam follower engaging any of said ornament cams withone end thereof and engaging said guide shaft with the opposite endthereof to transmit to said swing frame the swinging movement of saidcam follower in accordance with the peripheral configuration of a givenornament cam, a compression spring mounted on said support shaft forelastically displacing said cam follower in the axial direction of saidsupport shaft, said pin on said actuating arm member being in engagementwith said cam follower, said pin being releasably held by one of saidV-shaped teeth of said rack plate so that said cam follower may be heldin a predetermined position in accordance with the position in whichsaid pin is held, and said cam follower being elastically displaced bysaid compression spring in the axial direction of said support shaft inaccordance with the set position of said pin.
 3. An oRnament camselecting device for a zigzag sewing machine according to claim 1wherein said cam follower is at one end formed with a cam engagingportion for engaging one of said ornament cams and at the opposite endformed with a recess for engaging said guide shaft to transmit to saidswing frame the swinging movement of said cam follower in accordancewith the peripheral configuration of any of said ornament cams, said camfollower being at its central portion formed with a pair of flanges toprovide a groove therebetween, wherein said pin on said actuating armmember being in engagement with said groove, and wherein said camengaging said actuating arm member for axially displacing said camfollower on said support shaft.
 4. An ornament cam selecting device fora zigzag sewing machine according to claim 1 wherein a cam may beemployed for said means for disengaging said cam follower from any ofsaid ornament cams.
 5. An ornament cam selecting device for a zigzagsewing machine according to claim 1 wherein a disc may be employed forsaid means for disengaging said cam follower from any of said ornamentcams.
 6. An ornament cam selecting device for a zig-zag sewing machineaccording to claim 1 wherein a cam may be employed for said means forturning said rack plate.
 7. An ornament cam selecting device for azigzag sewing machine according to claim 1 wherein a disc may beemployed for said means for turning said rack plate.
 8. An ornament camselecting device for a zigzag sewing machine according to claim 1comprising another arm member having an engaging end and adjustablyconnected to said actuating arm member in a superposed state, said armmember engaging said cam with said engaging end thereof so that themovement of said arm member caused by said cam may be transmitted tosaid actuating arm member.
 9. An ornament cam selecting device for azigzag sewing machine according to claim 1 wherein said rack plate ismounted on a U-shaped swingable support, said rack plate having atransverse engaging projection formed thereon for engaging said meansfor turning said rack plate.
 10. An ornament cam selecting device for azigzag sewing machine according to claim 1 said supporting shaft andsaid guiding shaft are mounted on a swing frame, wherein said camfollower is pivotally mounted on said support shaft and is slidable inthe axial direction on said support shaft, said cam follower having acam engaging portion formed at one end thereof for engaging any of saidornament cam and having a recess formed at the other end thereof forengaging said guide shaft, said swing frame being U-shaped and having aL-shaped plate and an elongated plate attached thereto in a superposedstate, said L-shaped plate having a depending engaging end for engagingsaid cam follower disengaging means and said elongated plate having avertical engaging edge for engaging a roller provided on a swing bodywhich is adapted to receive the swinging movement of said cam followerthrough said swing frame.
 11. An ornament cam selecting device for azigzag sewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising a U-shapedbase member secured in said machine arm and gearing means provided insaid machine arm between said drive shaft and said ornament cams,wherein said ornament cams, said cam follower, said swing frame, saidswing body and said rack plate being each disposed in said U-shaped basemember, said gearing means transmitting the rotation of said drive shaftto said ornament cams in a reduced speed.